'Vampire Squid from Hell' Reveals the Ancient Origins of Octopuses
10 days ago
- #genomics
- #evolution
- #cephalopod
- The vampire squid's genome is the largest sequenced cephalopod genome at over 11 billion base pairs.
- Despite not being a true squid, it shares a chromosomal architecture with modern squids and octopuses.
- Vampyroteuthis infernalis is the last remnant of an ancient lineage, dating back 183 million years.
- Its genome provides insights into the evolutionary divergence of squids and octopuses around 300 million years ago.
- The vampire squid's genome is up to several times larger than those of other squids and octopuses.
- 62% of its genome consists of repetitive DNA elements, inflating its size without adding new coding sequences.
- Comparative genomic studies reveal it retains parts of the chromosomal structure of ten-armed cephalopods.
- Octopuses underwent rapid chromosomal mixing, while vampire squids' chromosomes remained largely unchanged.
- The vampire squid is considered a 'Rosetta Stone' for understanding cephalopod evolution.